1957 German Grand Prix
| poletime = 9:25.6 | fastestlap = 9:17.4 | fastestlapdriver = Juan Manuel Fangio | fastestlapnation = ARG | fastestlapteam = | fastestlapnumber = 20 | winner = Juan Manuel Fangio | winnernation = ARG | winnerteam = | second = Mike Hawthorn | secondnation = GBR | secondteam = | third = Peter Collins | thirdnation = GBR | thirdteam = }} The 1957 German Grand Prix (formally the XIX Großer Preis von Deutschland) was a Formula One World Championship race held on 4 August 1957 at the Nürburgring. Held over 22 laps of the 14-mile (23 km) long circuit, the race is considered to be host to one of the most impressive performances in F1 history as Juan Manuel Fangio fought from 48 seconds behind second to win the race. The race included Formula Two cars to increase the size of the field. Fangio had taken pole position in his 250F, with Mike Hawthorn in the 801 alongside. Jean Behra (Maserati) and Peter Collins (Ferrari) completed the four-car front row. Fangio's pole time of 9 minutes 25.6 seconds was 2.8 seconds ahead of Hawthorn. Come the race, Ferrari planned to not pit while Fangio decided upon a one-stop strategy on softer tyres. This didn't stop Hawthorn getting off the grid in the lead, ahead of teammate Collins and Fangio. Fangio took the lead on lap three and pitted, as planned, on lap 12, with a 30-second lead. However, this pit stop was disastrous; the left rear wheel nut became lost underneath the car and once it was found, Hawthorn and Collins had long gone past. Fangio emerged in third place, nearly 50 seconds behind the Ferrari pair. Fangio started by taking 15.5 seconds off Hawthorn on his first lap and 8.5 the next. Setting not just fastest laps quicker than his qualifying time, but nine lap records, seven in succession, Fangio drove the wheels off his Maserati in his chase. He caught with, and overtook, Collins early in the 21st lap and took the lead of Hawthorn later the same lap. Hawthorn challenged, but Fangio held firm to win the race, and his fifth World Championship title. After the race, Fangio commented 'I have never driven that quickly before in my life and I don't think I will ever be able to do it again.' It would turn out to be somewhat accurate statement, as it was his final World Championship victory, and he retired in 1958. Background The previous Championship race at Aintree saw reigning World Champion and current World Championship leader Juan Manuel Fangio retire, which in turn allowed the remainder of the of the field to cut his astonishing seventeen point lead in the title race, over winner Sam Hanks, to just twelve, with 's Luigi Musso now second. Tony Brooks, who shared victory at the British GP with Stirling Moss, resided in third place, with ten points. A non-Championship race was held between the British and German races; the , which was won by Frenchman Jean Behra in a . The majority of entrants were invited manufacturers; private entries were not invited. Due to the reduced field this made up, Formula Two drivers were invited to race alongside. These F2 fought for separate honours and would not be awarded World Championship points were they to finish in the top five or set the fastest lap. took five drivers, including Fangio, Jean Behra and Harry Schell in the 1957 cars, Giorgio Scarlatti in a works 1956 car and Paco Godia in his own 1956 car. Carlos Menditeguy was also entered into the race, but his car was unavailable. Scuderia Centro Sud also entered a pair of Maseratis, to be driven by Masten Gregory and Hans Herrmann. entered four drivers, three going into the race. Luigi Musso, Peter Collins and Mike Hawthorn were all to drive the Lancia-Ferrari 801. Maurice Trintignant was left without a drive, having been set to drive the new V6 F2 car, however, Enzo Ferrari felt no-one, let alone Trintignant, could do the car justice at the Nürburgring and thus the car did not arrive. Representing Britain were the team, with Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks and Stuart Lewis-Evans looking to make it consecutive World Championship wins. BRM received invites, but with Ron Flockhart injured, it was decided not to attend with two inexperienced drivers. These entries were filled by Bruce Halford and Horace Gould in Maserati 250Fs. In the F2 category, entered three cars, Umberto Maglioli and Edgar Barth were in full works cars with Carel Godin de Beaufort in an Ecurie Maarsbergen entry. had two works entries, Roy Salvadori and Jack Brabham, the latter in a Rob Walker-owned car. The four remaining starting cars were also Coopers, two Ridgeway Managements entries for Tony Marsh and Paul England; and private entries each for both Brian Naylor and Dick Gibson. The two non-starting F2 racers were Trintignant and 's Dennis Taylor. As for the Nürburgring itself, a large portion of the track had been resurfaced, but the layout remained unchanged. It was expected for the lap record, of 9 minutes 41.6 seconds, to fall during the race, due to both the resurfacing and the general improvement in F1 cars. Championship permutations It was possible for Juan Manuel Fangio to seal the World Championship crown at the German GP, with two races to spare, as long as he held at least an eighteen-point lead following the race, given that no-one could match his win total. To win, Fangio needed to score six or more points than Luigi Musso and three or more points than Tony Brooks. Given that 27 points remained available going into the race and that Fangio had 25, the title was still technically available for any driver to win. Entry List Notes: * Drivers in italics did not compete in the race. * Drivers in pink are Formula Two entries. Practice Overview Friday Practice Saturday Practice Qualifying Results Grid Note: F2 drivers highlighted in pink. Race Pre-race Report Results Note: F2 drivers highlighted in pink. Fastest laps Laps in the lead Stints Totals Milestones * Juan Manuel Fangio's 24th and final victory. * Fangio secured his fifth and final World Championship title. * The last win for a car and engine. * World Championship débuts for Brian Naylor, Carel Godin de Beaufort, Dick Gibson, Paul England and Tony Marsh, though all were racing F2 cars. Additionally, the first F1 race with a car, but again in the F2 category. Standings after race External links * Wikipedia article * STATS F1 * Grand Prix Encyclopedia article * Silhouet page * Motor Sport Magazine contemporary race report: first page • second page • third page * Video highlights on YouTube Category:Grand Prix articles Category:1957 Grands Prix Category:German Grand Prix Category:Formula One races in Germany